EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COURSE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. REPORT 2. INTERFERENCE ENGAGED BETWEEN SARS-CoV-2 AND ACUTE RESPIRATORY VIRAL INFECTIONS

ABSTRACT

Currently, the disease caused by the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and the possibility of co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens in the current epidemic situation continues to be of particular interest. The review, based on the analysis of literature and own materials, outlines the features of the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and pathogens of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI). Particular attention is paid to the combined course of COVID-19 and influenza, a comparative characteristic of the severity of the clinical picture. An assessment of the epidemic situation against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic in foreign countries and the Russian Federation (RF) revealed the presence of the phenomenon of SARS-CoV-2 interference with other viral respiratory agents, based on the facts of a sharp suppression of the circulation of influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other ARVI pathogens during the period of active spread of pandemic coronavirus. The main epidemiological indicators of the course of coronavirus infection were compared and the contribution of various pathogens to the etiology of acute respiratory viral infections during the development of the second wave of COVID-19 in the RF was assessed. It was noted that the decrease in the number of new cases by 11.4 and deaths by 2.1 times due to COVID-19 at 6 and 13 weeks in 2022 occurred with unchanged laboratory detection of the influenza virus (0.8%) and an increase in the frequency detection of pathogens of other SARS. The results of observations showed that against the background of a decrease in the incidence of COVID-19, there was no increase in the proportion of diagnosed cases of infections caused by other pathogens, especially influenza. The results obtained confirm the need to ensure effective epidemiological surveillance and additional application of pathogen identification methods for monitoring various ARVI, which can significantly affect the approach to differential diagnosis, patient management tactics and the decision on appropriate preventive measures.